Live Video: The Joy Formidable

Fans of The Joy Formidable are used to seeing guitarist and vocalist Ritzy Bryan thrashing about wild-eyed on stage, practically destroying her guitar, her amps and the audience’s ears. She and bassist/vocalist Rhydian Dafydd and percussionist Matthew James Thomas always seem to keep it together, though, even on the verge of chaos. That’s their gift, and why fans pack venues to see their explosive live shows. Funny, then, it should be during an acoustic set on the Morning Show when they let out all of their internal band anger — apparently Rhydian and Matthew bicker like a married couple, and they all seem to want to shove each other’s heads down tour bus toilets. But whatever pent up aggression or love they may feel for each other, they gel just as naturally when they perform paired down versions recently in the KEXP studio of two older and two newer songs — don’t say “stripped down” down, as they’re only “semi naked… from the head up.” Watch the beautiful performance and entertaining interview now: